This month, the focus is definitely on the downtown, where one can indulge in all of the season's traditional activities. Before you begin the consumer madness, take a little time to enjoy the Kristi Yamaguchi Embarcadero Center Holiday Ice Rink, located at the very end of Market Street in Justin Herman Plaza.

The rink is situated so that you have lovely views of the Bay Bridge, the Ferry Building, and the Embarcadero Buildings as you skate. Even if you don't skate yourself, watching others can be equally enjoyable, especially at night when colored lights illuminate the ice. The rink is open Nov. 15-Jan. 7; hours are Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Rates: adults, $6; children (8 and under), $3; skate rental, $3. Ninety-minute sessions begin every even hour (e.g. 10 a.m., noon, etc.). Call (415) 956-2688 for more information.

After you've burned off some calories skating, you can replenish them (and then some) at See's Candies, makers of the finest confections I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.

See's was founded in Los Angeles (I finally found something good about LA!), and has been in San Francisco since 1936. Still available almost exclusively in the Western U.S., they really are the best chocolate candies in the world, in my humble opinion (sorry Ghiradelli!).

There are two See's Candies Shops, both on Market Street: one at 542 Market, at Sutter, the other at 846 Market, between 4th and 5th. You can buy boxed candies or just a few individual pieces, and I strongly recommend that you visit one, to get the sugar rush you'll need to survive the shopping scene.

Now you're ready to dive into the real reason for the season (it's the economy, stupid!), so bust out those credit cards and head for San Francisco Shopping Center.

Inside this huge mall you'll find all manner of upscale chain stores, from Abercrombie & Fitch to Wet Seal. Located at 5th and Market Street, it is an easy walk (two blocks up Powell Street) from the mall to Union Square, where things get even more upscale, with the likes of Nieman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Company lining the square. Lets face it: most of us can't afford to shop in these stores, but there are some lovely window displays to enjoy at this time of year!

One store that deserves a visit is FAO Schwartz, located one block from Union Square, at Stockton and O'Farrell. You probably won't run into Tom Hanks dancing on a giant piano keyboard, but it's always a fun place to wander around and recall a time when you still believed in Santa.

If you still haven't found the perfect gift, hop the cable car on Powell Street (there's a stop just before the corner of Powell and Post) and ride it up to Fisherman's Wharf, where you can purchase a wide variety of souvenirs so tacky that they're guaranteed to get a laugh (until the recipient realizes that the Golden Gate Bridge snow globe really is their real gift!).

Actually, a couple of very picturesque shopping centers are tucked in to the Wharf, including The Cannery, which does not have a single national chain store, as far as I could tell. The best thing about The Cannery is the large open courtyard, and the beautiful flowers everywhere.

There is also a great store called Lark in the Morning, which sells a huge variety of instruments from around the world. A musician could spend hours in there! And I know you're not going to come to San Francisco without going to Pier 39, where you can eat, shop, catch a ferry ride, and best of all, enjoy the colony of sea lions, who have several docks of their own where they sprawl and sun themselves.

Still need gifts? Try wandering over to the Herbst Pavilion in Fort Mason, for the Celebration of Craftswomen on Dec. 2, 3, 9 and 10, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.. Now in its 22nd year, this is the largest women's craft fair in the United States. It features ceramics, glass, fine art, jewelry, leather, metal, sculpture and more from 135 different female artisans. Admission is $7 and benefits the SF Women's Building in the Mission District.

If you would like to reflect on the more spiritual aspect of the season (Christmas did used to be a religious holiday, didn't it?), there is a place of worship to suit your needs regardless of what religion you may be. People of all faiths, colors and sexual persuasions are welcomed at the famous Glide Memorial United Methodist Church, which is presided over by the Reverend Cecil Williams.

Located at 330 Ellis, Glide Memorial is a San Francisco institution, a major force for good in the community. They are also legendary for their rollicking gospel choir, the Glide Ensemble.

Believe it or not, this is one church that is almost too full on Sundays: lines start forming about 40 minutes before the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, which Glide actually refer to as "celebrations." If you really want to feel the spirit, though, it is worth the wait. Check the Pacific Bell Yellow Pages for listings of churches, synagogues, mosques, etc., if you would prefer to worship with your own faith. In future months I'll try to add mention of some particularly nice places.

Another favorite holiday tradition is the San Francisco Ballet's production of The Nutcracker.

San Francisco Ballet is America's oldest professional ballet company, and their lavish production of The Nutcrackercan be enjoyed from the balcony for as little as $9 (only Dec. 13-15, and 27-30; an 11 a.m. performance is offered Dec. 31). Balcony seats for other dates are $15; Orchestra Center go for $42, and Center Boxes can be had for a mere $120, so there are seats to suit every price range. Balcony is definitely the nose-bleed section, but the War Memorial Opera House is a pretty intimate venue, so there really aren't any terrible seats (for a few extra dollars you can also rent opera glasses).

Art lovers will want to take note of two events in December. First is the exhibition "Celebrating Modern Art: The Anderson Collection," which runs through Jan. 15 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), located at 151 Third Street, between Mission and Howard. This is the first time that an overview of Harry W. and Margaret Anderson's collection, considered one of the most important private collections of modern and contemporary art in the United States, has been presented to the public.

SFMOMA is open every day except Wednesday, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. The museum is open until 9 p.m. on Thursday, when admission is half-price between 6 and 9 p.m. Regular admission is adults, $9; students with valid ID, $5; and seniors 62 and older, $6.

The second event of note is the temporary closing of the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park on Dec. 31. Declared seismically unfit after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the new de Young will be built in the same location, but it is not due to open until 2005.

The oldest public museum in San Francisco, the de Young houses collections of American Art, African Art, Oceanic Art, textile arts, and arts of the Americas, so check it out before it's too late. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., admission is $7 for adults and $5 for seniors 65 or older. Admission is free on the first Wednesday of each month, when the museum stays open until 8:45 p.m. There is no discount for students, but you can get $2 off if you present a MUNI transfer slip.

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